Research Standard Storage

Overview

The Research Standard Storage file system provides users with a solution for research data storage and sharing. Public, internal use, and sensitive research data can be stored in Research Standard storage, and UVA Information Security provides details about data sensitivity classifications. Members in the same group have access to a shared directory created by the team lead or PI. Group membership can be defined and managed through Grouper (requires VPN connection). Research Standard storage is mounted on the HPC cluster and can also be accessed on a personal computer with an SMB mount, allowing for point-and-click file manipulation.

As of July, 2024, Each PI with a Research Computing account will have up to 10 TB of Research Standard Storage at no charge.

If you are not a researcher, UVA ITS offers Value storage for long-term storage of large scale data. More information about ITS’s various storage options can be found on their website.

Request Research Standard Storage

Research Standard storage can be requested for $45/TB/YR through our Storage Request Form.
Users can specify the size and name of the Research Standard storage directory and the name of an existing Grouper group that can access the space. If the Grouper group does not yet exist, please create one through the ITS Group Management System before filling out the Research Standard storage request form.

When your Research Standard Storage share is created, you will receive an email detailing your NFS mount standard.hpc.virginia.edu:vol###, where ### refers to the specific volume number, and the SMB map \\standard.hpc.virginia.edu\Grouper_group_name. Once the space is available, the PI can grant access to lab member by adding them to the Grouper group. Users in the Grouper group will see the directory (/standard/Shared_space_name)` after logging into UVA HPC.

For new groups, specify "This group will be used for Rivanna/Afton access" in the description section of the Service Now request form to expedite group creation. You will need to add yourself as a member to the group in order for us to fulfill any allocation request related to this group.

Drive Mapping with Research Standard Storage

Research Standard storage can be drive mapped on a personal computer to enable drag-and-drop file manipulation and transfer between your PC and your value storage share. Detailed instructions for mapping network drives on Windows and Mac machines can be found on the UVa Research Computing How-To pages.

File Manipulation and Navigation with Research Standard Storage

Research Standard storage is based on a Linux file system similar to storage spaces on the cluster, including /home and /scratch. Users can invoke generic Linux commands to manage files and directories (mv, cp, mkdir), manage permissions (chmod, chown) and navigate the file system (cd, ls, pwd). If you or your collaborators are unfamiliar with some of these commands, we encourage you to take time to review some of the material below:

For more help, please feel free to contact RC to set up a consultation or visit us during office hours.